In Translation
by TMNTgrl
Summary: A grumpy Raph is given a list of everything he said throughout the day. But what was he really trying to say? Oneshot.


**_A/N: Mmm....m&ms.......Mmmm...chicken and noodles for dinner....(drools) Anyhow, uh, enjoy the story!_**

* * *

"I swear," Leo hissed quietly, "he's been _impossible_ lately."

"Guess he's going through a grumpy spell," Mikey said. "I wish there was some way to tell him what this feels like to us."

"He wouldn't listen," Don scoffed.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Leo's mouth. "Perhaps we can convince him to listen. I have an idea."

Several minutes later, Mikey bobbed his head eagerly. "Sounds great!"

"I agree," Don said. "Let's give it a shot."

* * *

Over the course of the next day, Raph was oblivious to his siblings' plan. They kept a quiet watch, writing down everything he said, and noting almost everything he did to them.

"_Mikey_!" Raph shouted, grabbing his brother in a headlock. "You little twerp!"

"Eek! Raph, lemme go!"

* * *

"What're you hidin' away in here for anyway, Donny?"

"I'm fixing up the shell-cells- adding some new features."

"Whatever. You better get out soon or I'll drag ya out."

Don shrugged mildly. "I'm busy, okay?"

"Don'cha ever get bored doin' this stuff?"

"No. Not often."

Raph snorted. "Right. 'Cause you're too much of a genius to _ever_ be bored." He stalked out of the room. "Huh."

* * *

"Nnf-! Raph, slow down! Not so rough, okay?"

"How's 'bout you step it up and actually fight, Fearless?" Raph landed a heavy blow to Leo's gut.

"Ack! That's enough, Raph!"

Raph turned away. "Whatever."

* * *

"Now Raph, just calm down a little. I was only trying to help you out there, bro."

"I don't need your freakin' help!"

"You almost got your head taken off!"

"I knew he was there! I could'a taken him out perfectly well!"

"Raphael, calm yourself! I only want what's best for you!"

"Well, you ain't thinkin' on it very straight! I . . . I hate you, Leo! I hate you!"

Leo blinked slowly, keeping his calm. "You don't mean that," he whispered.

"I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it!" Raph snarled. "Now back off!"

* * *

"Raph," Leo called late that evening, "come over here. There's something we'd like you to do."

"What?"

Leo handed him a sheet of paper. "You don't have to show this to anyone. But we'd like you to translate everything on this paper into what you really meant by it. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Huh."

But after everyone had gone to bed, Raph sat down at the table with a pen and the sheet of paper. His eyes scanned over the first line.

_Mikey! You little twerp!_

Raph chewed on the end of the pen for a moment. Then, he sighed and pressed the tip to the paper.

_Ha! Good one! Let's have some fun and wrestle!_

He stared at the next line.

_What're you hiding away in here for anyway, Donny?_

Raph sighed again.

_Why are you all alone? Is something wrong?_

This was not making him feel very happy.

_Whatever. You better get out soon or I'll drag ya out._

_Oh. Come out soon, okay? I hate it when you hide away like this._

Raph gave another, more pained sigh as he read the next line.

_Don'cha ever get bored doing this stuff?_

_Aren't you lonely in here by yourself?_

He grunted angrily as the pen ran out of ink, and flung it aside, opting for a more traditional graphite stick.

_Right. 'Cause you're too much of a genius to ever be bored._

_I guess. I wish I were as smart as you._

Raph found that he suddenly seemed to have no fire left inside of him. It had quickly been doused by guilt.

_How's 'bout you step it up and actually fight, Fearless?_

_I just want to make sure you can protect yourself._

Raph rubbed at his eyes sleepily. But he wasn't about to leave this unfinished.

_Whatever._

_I'm sorry._

That was all he had wanted to say, he realized. That he was sorry. And it came out in an angry retort instead.

_I don't need your freakin' help!_

_I know. You saved my life._

He _did_ need his brother's help. He knew that. But he couldn't admit it outright.

_I knew he was there! I could'a taken him out perfectly well!_

_He caught me off guard. I owe you one._

Come to think of it, he probably owed his brother more than he could count.

_Well, you ain't thinkin' on it very straight! I . . . I hate you, Leo! I hate you!_

_I know that, and I know you're doing the right thing. I'm sorry; you know I love you._

It was true, Raph knew. He really did love his brothers- each and every one of them- very dearly. But such deep emotions were hard for him to admit.

_I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it! Now back off!_

_I didn't mean to upset you. I just lost my temper. Please, forgive me._

Raph took one more look at the list. He added one last thing to the bottom of the paper before silently crumpling it into a ball and throwing it in the trash.

_I'm sorry. Thanks for showing me this. I love you guys._

_

* * *

**A/N: Sweet ending, isn't it? ;) Anyhow, I should probably do something productive...bah...40 minute essay....**_


End file.
